India suspends trade talks with the EU over generic drugs ban

India announced on 5 August 2015 it had put off the resumption of talks on a planned free trade agreement with the European Union to the EU's refusal to lift a ban on the sale of around 700 pharmaceutical products.

European regulators recommended in January 2015 suspending marketing approval for 25 generic drugs on concerns over the quality of data from clinical trials by GVK Biosciences. The ban came into effect in July.

The Indian government had previously said it found no evidence of data manipulation and had been in talks with the European authorities for over eight months to end the ban.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: India ready to revive trade talks with the EU http://www.europeansources.info/record/india-ready-to-revive-trade-talks-with-the-eu/

Financial Times, 05.08.15: Generic drugs ban prompts India to freeze EU trade talks www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4ded8ca4-3b8a-11e5-bbd1-b37bc06f590c.html

Reuters, 05.08.15: India defers free trade pact talks with EU due to drug sale ban http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/08/05/uk-india-eu-pharmaceuticals-idUKKCN0QA1Y120150805

Times of India, 06.08.15: EU FTA talks deferred over pharma ban http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/EU-FTA-talks-deferred-over-pharma-ban/articleshow/48368775.cms

European Commission: DG Trade: Policy: Countries and regions: India http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/india/

EurActiv, 17.08.15: EU, India working to resolve trade row over generic drugs http://www.euractiv.com/sections/trade-society/eu-india-working-resolve-trade-row-over-generic-drugs-316865

Blog: Bruegel, 27.06.16: Can the EU-India Free Trade Agreement be revived? http://capx.co/external/will-india-ever-get-an-fta-with-its-biggest-trading-partner/

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